


The 12 Dates of Christmas in Arendelle

by KingdomKey1121



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Christmas Eve, F/F, F/M, Groundhog Day Cycle, Inspired by Hallmark Christmas Movies, M/M, Peasant!Anna, Queen!Elsa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27982455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingdomKey1121/pseuds/KingdomKey1121
Summary: A “12 Dates of Christmas” crossover - it is Christmas Eve in Arendelle and peasant orphan Anna is set up on a blind date with Queen Elsa despite being hung up on her ex, Hans. After a mysterious spritz of Oaken’s holiday perfume forces Anna to relive Christmas Eve over and over, she must find a way to stop the cycle and make the day perfect not only for herself, but for everyone around her.
Relationships: Anna/Elsa (Disney), Gerda/Kai (Disney: Frozen), Halima/Mattias (Disney), Hans & Honeymaren (Disney), Kristoff/Ryder Nattura
Kudos: 12





	1. A Partridge in a Pear Tree

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my gorgeous Elsanna shippers! Long time, no see. You know how I love my crossovers… I just watched "The 12 Dates of Christmas" (thanks to Disney+) and all of its fun characters inspired me to see what would happen if I moved it to an AU Arendelle. Chaos and fun will ensue, as usual. Enjoy this quick little tale!

It was Christmastime in Arendelle and Anna would be alone once again. The garlands on the doors and candles on the windows gouged a vast, depressing hole in Anna’s stomach as she made her way down the village’s main street, the huge castle looming ominously above her. A chilling December breeze swept through her and the coat she pulled more tightly around herself did little to to keep her warm. 

At 1pm the sun was already starting its descent behind the horizon; it would be pitch black by late afternoon. This fact urged her onward and as she approached the stables at the edge of Arendelle she even tightened her scarf in hopes of more protection from the merciless breeze. It would be a long, dark Christmas Eve but at least seeing Kristoff would make her feel better.

Her best friend was lounging on a pile of hay in his reindeer Sven’s stall, mandolin in hand. He strummed lazily, humming, eyes closed. There was a half-empty mug of mead next to him on the floor.

“You look like you’re working hard,” said Anna on her approach.

“Happy Christmas Eve to you,” said Kristoff, opening his eyes drowsily. “It’s a slow month for ice.”

“Whatever you say,” said Anna. She picked up the mug of mead and took a draught.

“Hey, that’s mine!”

“Season for sharing,” said Anna with a shrug, then finished off the drink. The warmth spreading through her chest and stomach made her feel incrementally better. “Is this what you’re doing all day, drinking mead and serenading Sven?”

At his name, the reindeer pawed the ground, nudging his nose at Anna.

“Hi Sven,” Anna said, rushing to give the reindeer’s snout a pet.

_“Hi, Anna, did you bring me carrots?"_ Kristoff had a bad habit of talking for Sven.

"No, I'm sorry Sven," she told the reindeer.

"Hanging out and drinking is definitely on the agenda,” Kristoff continued as though there had been no interruption. “But now I need more mead.”

“You could come with me to the pub tonight,” said Anna, sitting on an unoccupied hay bale. “Gerda set me up on a blind date.”

“She what?” said Kristoff, sitting up alertly. “Blind, huh? Sounds scary.”

“She thinks I need to forget about Hans,” said Anna, rolling her eyes. “But if you’re there…”

“No way am I crashing a date, blind or otherwise,” said Kristoff. “No, no, no.”

“You’d want to come, right Sven?” The reindeer grunted and turned so that his large rump faced Anna.

“You two are no help at all. Well, have fun with the drinking and everything. Maybe I’ll see you later.”

Kristoff caught Anna’s arm just before she could leave the stables. “Sven and I are here for you if you need some company tonight. I know how hard of a blow it was to you when Hans…”

He stopped and bowed his head. 

“Thanks,” said Anna, pecking him on the cheek. “I’ll let you know.”

On her way back into the heart of the village, she decided to stop in Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post in case there was something that could make her blind date a little less awkward.

“Yoo-hoo!” came a call from behind the counter as soon as she stepped in. “Care to try a spritz of our new Christmas aroma?”

Anna, not much of a perfume connoisseur, wrinkled her nose and said, “No, thank you.”

“It is the most festive fragrance, ya?” he insisted, holding up the perfume bottle and aiming it in Anna’s direction. 

“I’m really okay,” said Anna, hoping to make a beeline to the back corner of the store where a rotund, balding man in a palace servant’s uniform was browsing winter accessories.

Oaken was not having her evasion. He circled around the counter, bottle aloft. He was so wide and tall that he thoroughly blocked her escape route. 

“You won’t be disappointed, ya?” he said and without any warning, a not-so-small cloud of the stuff emerged from the little spout of the bottle and engulfed Anna’s face.

Then everything went dark.

* * *

When Anna came to, she was lying on the dusty wooden floor of the trading post. Once her vision came back she saw that both the balding customer from the back of the store and Oaken were standing above her, looking down in concern. Outside, the sun had set. 

“Are you all right?” asked the balding man.

“I gave a little spritz and you passed out, ya?” said Oaken, still holding the sinister perfume bottle.

The balding man took hold of Anna’s arm and helped her to her feet as Oaken sniffed at his perfume bottle suspiciously. 

“Thank you, I--” began Anna, but something outside the window caught her eye and she froze; a flash of white teeth and auburn hair. Was Hans back in town?

She rushed out of the store, throwing an apology over her shoulder, but she was too late - the street was deserted except for a dark-skinned man struggling to form an elaborate snowman from the pitiful remains of the last storm.

Disappointed and not wanting to be caught out in the dark for longer than she had to, Anna made her way back home. Above her, a single partridge landed deftly on the branches of a fruit tree, unbeknownst to the redhead scurrying down below.

Anna made her residence out of a small, shabby room above the pub, the very same pub in which she later had a blind date. Avoiding the boisterous taproom, she quickly mounted the stairs, holding up her skirts as she went. At the top, she almost ran headlong into the neighbor from across the hall who had set her up on the date.

“Oh, hello Gerda,” said Anna, a bit impatiently. She was still feeling woozy from her fainting spell and couldn’t stop thinking that she’d almost run into Hans. “Not at the palace, I see.”

Gerda, aging and gray-haired, worked in the castle as a servant for Queen Elsa. She couldn’t talk much about it, as the work the servants did was as mysterious and secretive as the Queen herself, but Anna got the impression that Gerda enjoyed it. She had been there for years, since she was Anna’s age.

“They let us all go early today, bit of a Christmas gift,” said Gerda. “Queen Elsa is not throwing any grand, royal Christmas parties.”

_ She never does,  _ thought Anna, but kept her mouth shut. When was the last time anyone but the palace staff had even seen Queen Elsa? She never took visitors, even ones that had sailed from distant lands to make her acquaintance. 

“Ready for the big date tonight?” Gerda continued, changing the subject.

“Sure,” said Anna, now thinking she might actually skip it in favor of ransacking Arendelle to find Hans. 

“I think you’ll have a wonderful time,” said Gerda, winking.

“Yes, thank you again, Gerda,” said Anna, edging around the older woman. “I have some things I need to take care of before tonight.”

And without another word, Anna pushed past Gerda and down the hall, an ache forming at her temples. 

She spent a couple of hours hiding out in her room, hoping not to run into Gerda again. Around 4pm (or so Anna surmised, though it had been dark for hours) she heard Gerda’s door open and close across the hall. This was her moment to flee and search for Hans. She didn’t know what she would do if she actually saw him again - beg him to take her back? It was Christmas Eve, who could say no to love on Christmas Eve?

The search for Hans was for naught; she could only do so much in the dark. Not even a peek in every High Street store window yielded any luck. Maybe her eyes had deceived her, maybe she hadn’t seen Hans at all.

With little warning or preparation, the clocktower of the castle struck six and it was suddenly time for Anna’s blind date. She hurried back toward the pub, flustered and wondering whether she could slip by without meeting anyone at all. It occurred to her too late that Gerda never told Anna the name of this blind date.

No such luck; the moment she walked through the double wooden doors she was approached by a cute brunette in traditional Northuldra clothing, including a fur-lined hat.

“Are you Astrid?” he asked timidly. He took off his hat; something to preoccupy his hands in his nervousness.

“Sorry, no,” said Anna, a little disappointed herself. He was definitely cute, but he wasn’t Hans  _ or  _ her blind date. She was glad she wasn’t the only one meeting a blind date on Christmas Eve, though. “I’m Anna.”

“Ryder,” said the Northuldra teen, smiling lopsidedly.

“Good luck with your date,” said Anna, eyeing the staircase. She might be able to make her escape yet.

“Anna?” said a woman’s voice from behind Ryder.

Ryder sheepishly edged out of the way and returned to the table he’d secured by the door.

The speaker was a tall, gorgeous blonde. She wore a long, navy blue gown with a hooded cape. The hood was up on her head and a blonde braid peeked out of one side.

“Hi?” said Anna uncertainly.

“Gerda said you’d be a little late but told me not to worry,” said the blonde, covering her mouth with a gloved hand as she giggled. 

“Gerda would say that,” said Anna, a little grumpily. “You… are…?”

“You can call me Iduna,” said the woman, holding out a dainty hand. “Gerda set us up.”

“Oh!” said Anna, unable to believe that this beautiful person was her blind date. There was no way this could be real; Gerda had surely made a mistake.

Anna took the outstretched hand; she glove's material was a soft cashmere. Anna was amazed at how cold the fingers were to the touch. Without another word, Iduna turned around and led Anna by the hand to a table in the corner of the pub where a pair of steaming mugs of mead already rested.

Anna sat across from the mysterious woman, still trying to take in the experience, shell-shocked. Although the woman was physically attractive, Anna couldn't help but feel extremely uncomfortable. This didn’t feel right, not at all. She was still aching to go find Hans. It didn’t look like this blind date idea was going to make her forget him as Gerda had hoped. At least she tried?

“So,” said Iduna, taking a deep breath. “Tell me about yourself.”

Anna resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Wait until Kristoff heard about this; it was already a disaster.

“Not much to tell,” said Anna, shrugging. How could she get out of here? “I gather and sell flowers in the spring and summer. In the winter I don’t have much to do. My best friend is an ice-seller who talks to and  _ for _ his reindeer.”

Iduna laughed, again covering her mouth. There was a pause, then Anna added, “What about you?”

“I work in the palace,” said Iduna quickly. That tracked; that’s how Gerda knows her.

“Have I seen you around Arendelle?” Anna asked, but knew she hadn’t. She recognized most people who lived in town, and many who lived out in the wilderness too.

“No, I stay in the castle almost all the time. I sleep there too,” she added, as though that wasn’t obvious.

“Nice,” said Anna, feeling awkward and wishing it would end.

“My parents were also employed in the palace for a long time,” she continued, seemingly lost in her thoughts. “They did a lot of good work for Arendelle.”

“And they got you your position in the palace, I assume?” Anna was starting to get annoyed. Was this woman just here to gloat about living in the castle and being able to dress in fine clothes? How in the world was Anna supposed to relate to that?

“Yes,” said Iduna with a vague smile, as though remembering an inside joke. Another pause, Anna tapping her toe to one of the table legs. Her impatience would soon cause her to go feral.

“Good for you,” said Anna finally. She tried and failed to keep the bitterness out of her tone. “I never had parents to give me anything.”

“I’m sorry--” began Iduna, but Anna cut her off.

“I’m not really feeling this,” she said, standing up. Iduna’s mouth fell open, blue eyes wide with shock. “And I have a boyfriend. It was nice to meet you.”

And she left the pub without looking back. It was clear that the only course of action on this Christmas Eve was to not talk to anyone. She wasn’t in the right mood or headspace to go on blind dates; being without a family, found or otherwise, on Christmas was hard enough.

But who did she run into as she turned the corner down the High Street but--

“Hans!” said Anna, half-exasperated, half-relieved.

That tall, handsome redhead turned and she knew she was right. At first his face betrayed his surprise and guilt having to face his ex-girlfriend once again, but then it was a mask of geniality. 

“Anna!” he said, throwing his arms out wide, inviting her in for a hug. She quickly let him sweep her up into an embrace and it felt like coming home. She buried her face in his felt coat and he squeezed her tight, like nothing had changed. He even smelled the same.

“It’s so good to see you,” said Anna, not even caring if she sounded clingy and desperate. 

“It’s good to see you, too,” he said, releasing her and beaming down into her face, large hands clamping down on her upper arms.

“What are you doing in Arendelle?” she breathed, wanting so badly to lean in and kiss him. He was so, so close… 

“Christmas shopping,” he said, letting go of her arms and indicating the bags discarded at his feet.

“It’s a little late, isn’t it?” said Anna playfully, punching his arm lightly. “It’s Christmas Eve, you dork.”

It was so natural, flirting with him like this.

“Last minute, yes, but not late,” he said. Then he chuckled and Anna’s heart melted.

“Do you need any help?” Anna asked, not able to help herself. “Or we could go back to the pub and get a drink?”

She wiggled her eyebrows at him suggestively. If he said yes, her Christmas would be saved. She wouldn't be alone…

But instead, his eyes flicked to something behind Anna and he said, “Actually, I can’t. I’m sorry, Anna.”

Gently, he turned her around and held out an arm to a pretty Northuldra woman approaching them. She was also carrying an armful of Christmas shopping and when she neared, she took Hans’ hand and gave him a peck on the lips.

“This is my girlfriend, Honeymaren,” announced Hans, clearly proud of the fact. He had stopped touching Anna completely. 

Anna deflated.

“Honeymaren, this is Anna,” Hans said, taking the bags from her. She was so pretty that Anna hated it. Honeymaren, too, wore traditional Northuldra garb, just like Ryder back at the pub. Honeymaren held out a hand politely, but all Anna could do was sputter out a “nice to meet you.”

“It was great seeing you, Anna,” Hans continued, reading the situation correctly and seeking escape. “But Honeymaren and I should get going.”

“Sure,” said Anna faintly, feeling even worse than she had an hour ago.

“Happy Christmas,” he said, and then he and his new girlfriend were off down the High Street hand-in-hand, leaving Anna behind to try and stem her tears before they froze on her cheeks.

She made her solitary way back home. Upon entering the pub, she saw that Ryder was still waiting at his table by the door, the chance of his date showing up becoming more slim by the minute. They exchanged a pitying glance with each other and Ryder shrugged that indicated,  _ No big deal.  _ Easy for him to say… 

The table she’d shared with Iduna was empty; the mugs of mead were still there, no longer steaming. Sighing and sniffling, she mounted the stairs and returned to her meager room. She threw herself on the creaking bed, curled up under her scraggy blanket and cried herself to sleep, more alone on this Christmas Eve than she’d felt in her whole life. 

Little did Anna know that her Christmas Eve was far from over.


	2. Two Turtle Doves

When Anna next opened her eyes, she was once again lying on the dusty wooden floor of the trading post. Blurrily looking up, she saw that both the same balding customer and Oaken were standing above her, looking down in concern. It was still dark outside.

“Are you all right?” asked the balding man.

“I gave a little spritz and you passed out, ya?” said Oaken. He was holding that awful perfume bottle, too.

What in Odin’s name was going on?

“That was yesterday,” said Anna, sitting up and ignoring her dizziness.

“Something like this has happened to you before?” asked the balding man. He reached out to help Anna up but she was too flustered to accept his help and pulled her arm away.

“No, this exact thing,” she said, climbing unsteadily to her feet. “Both of you were there!” She addressed Oaken, who was sniffing the perfume bottle suspiciously. “How many people pass out in front of you on Christmas Eve _and_ Christmas Day? Why in Odin’s name would you spritz me again?”

“ _Today_ is Christmas Eve,” said the balding man, exchanging a glance with Oaken, who shrugged.

“No, yesterday was,” Anna insisted, getting annoyed now.

“No, today is, ya?” chimed in Oaken. “The store isn’t open on Christmas Day, so best to purchase everything for your holiday feast now!”

“Yeah, no thanks,” said Anna pushing past him for the door.

“Maybe you should sit down for a while…” the balding man called after her but she was out the door before either of them could say another word.

Outside, the same dark-skinned man was once again struggling to build a snowman. Unlike the day before, there was a woman accompanying him and looking less-than-thrilled to be there. As Anna watched, two turtle doves landed on the snowman’s lopsided head and pecked at the coal eyes before the man shooed them away. 

Fifteen minutes later she was back at the stables. Kristoff and Sven were right where she left them, but Kristoff had acquired two more steaming mugs of mead.

“Oh hey,” said Kristoff, slurring slightly. “Honestly didn’t think I’d see you again today.”

“Wow, thanks,” said Anna, collapsing on a hay bale and scooping up a mug of mead. “But you have two mugs here... is one for me?”

“Just in case,” said Kristoff, holding up his mug for a cheers. Anna touched her mug to his and took a long draught.

“I’m so confused,” said Anna, wiping her mouth with her mitten. “I went to bed last night on Christmas Eve and when I woke up it was still Christmas Eve.”

“Sounds like a curse,” said Kristoff, shuddering. “Pabbie has told me about those. Not fun.”

“Why would I be cursed?” said Anna, panicked. “Because I was rude to Iduna yesterday? Maybe she was a witch! I knew she was too pretty…”

“I don't know what you're talking about, but do you know what I think?” said Kristoff, leaning forward and placing a heavy hand on her shoulder. “I think you had a bad dream, a nightmare, and today is actually Christmas Eve. I think you had so much anxiety about the blind date that it crept into your mind while you slept last night.”

“Maybe…” said Anna. Everything after waking up in the trading post was just so real though, and that man with the snowman was there too. Had it been a dream?

There was only one way to find out.

After finishing her mead she bid Kristoff and Sven a happy Christmas once more and headed back toward town and the pub. If Iduna was the person she was supposed to meet at the pub, then she would know it wasn’t a dream. 

But she couldn’t help thinking… Did she _want_ it to be a dream, or did she want Iduna to be real?

Say _this_ was a dream. If that were the case, she could act any way she wanted. She could get Hans back and manipulate this in any way she chose! She might as well try. She picked up the pace, picking out the perfect “get him back” dress in her mind’s eye.

Who did she run into mere feet from the pub’s entrance but Gerda, of course.

“Well hello, dear,” said the gray-haired woman. “Ready for your big date?”

“With Iduna or someone else?” said Anna impatiently.

“Wait, how did you know…?” Gerda said, nonplussed.

“Lucky guess. Is she in there now? I should probably let her off gently.”

“Let her off? You’re not even going to give her a chance?”

“Nope!” said Anna, puffing herself up confidently. “I’m going to get Hans back!”

Before Gerda could reply, Anna pushed past her and through the doors of the pub. 

The younger Northuldran (Ryder, was his name?) stood immediately and approached her.

“Are you Astrid?” he asked, taking off his hat. It was like deja vu. 

“Not Astrid, Anna,” she said, brushing past him brusquely, instead looking into the corner of the room. There was Iduna in all of her blonde, gorgeous glory. She nursed a steaming mug of mead. Another mug sat across from her.

“Hi, Iduna,” said Anna, taking the empty seat opposite the woman, who choked on her sip of mead. 

“You must be Anna!” she sputtered, covering her mouth in embarrassment. “Gerda said you’d be a little late but I see you are right on time.”

“Listen,” said Anna, cutting right to the chase. “I want you to tell me something. Have you met me before?”

Iduna looked flustered, way more than yesterday. “I… uh… no… I would have recognized you.”

“Are you sure?” Anna said, standing to stretch across the table and push her face into Iduna’s. “Take a real close look.”

Iduna leaned away, turning red. “No, you don’t look familiar but you smell… nice. Like chocolate.”

Abashed, Anna plopped back into her seat. She couldn’t decide if she should be concerned or delighted about such an admission.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that out loud,” said Iduna, still much more agitated than yesterday. 

“Oh well, doubt that you’ll remember when I wake up from this dream,” said Anna. She grabbed her mead and chugged, letting the warmth spread through her, making her bold.

“Dream?” said Iduna, watching this dubiously.

“Yeah, it’s either a dream or I’m cursed. I told Kristoff you might be a witch.”

“Excuse me?” said Iduna, the color draining from her face. “That’s rude!”

Anna shrugged, finishing off her mead. “Anyway, I’ve gotta go meet my boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Now the blonde sounded furious and betrayed. “Gerda didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend.”

“She didn’t tell me you were a witch, so…” said Anna, standing. “Guess we’re even.”

She tossed a “thanks for the mead” over her shoulder before mounting the stairs to her room. She had the perfect dress in mind; it was a green and navy piece with a felt pattern down the front. It made her feel like royalty. Adding a scarf and a muff, she was ready to win back Hans.

It was in this outfit that she marched to the High Street in an eager search for her handsome side-burned prince. The cold didn’t even bother her. If this was indeed a dream, it was most certainly going to go her way. If it wasn’t… then she was still going to do what she could to show Hans that she was the best - and only - choice.

She was a little too early to find him at the exact spot she had yesterday, so she set off further down the street, eyes peeled. The windows of all the shops were decked out in garland, candles, chocolates, and gifts. It would be the perfect Christmas Eve once she was hanging from Hans’ arm.

When Anna spotted Hans’ new girlfriend first, she quickly ducked behind a group of carolers, not wanting to be spotted. Technically, Honey-woman wouldn’t recognize Anna from Eve, but it was a reflex anyway. 

Backing away from the street, Anna suddenly bumped into someone. Turning quickly, she found that it was none other than--

“Hans!” said Anna, grabbing him around the waist.

“Whoa!” he exclaimed, seizing her shoulders and leaning away so he could see her face. “Oh, Anna!” 

“Hans, I’m so happy to see you,” she said breathlessly. “Want to get out of here? Get a drink?”

“Out of here?” he said, not even hiding his bemusement. “I can’t Anna, I’m with someone…”

“That Honey-girl?”

“You know Honeymaren?” he asked, scanning the street over Anna's head. She reached up to pull his chin back down to meet her gaze.

“Listen to me, Hans. I know that woman is not what’s best for you. If anything, I’m what’s best. That woman, she’s nothing. I’m not saying this because this might be a dream - though it might be a dream - or because I’m crazy - though you might think I am - what I’m saying, Hans, is that I love you and I think we belong together!”

There. She had said it. Whether or not this was a dream, she had said it.

There was a long pause, then Hans said. “Anna, I’m sorry but… Honeymaren is everything.”

“She can’t be!” Anna pleaded, clutching at his lapel, trying to force his face down to hers.

“No, Anna,” he said firmly, prying her hands from his coat. “She is… _everything_.”

He said it so pointedly, so meaningfully that it finally clicked.

“You’re… proposing. Aren’t you?”

He nodded slowly, solemnly. 

“When?” said Anna in disbelief.

“Tonight,” he said, a smile starting to escape. There was no question; he was excited.

“That’s why you’re in Arendelle…” she said vaguely, suddenly dizzy.

“You’ll be okay,” he said, rubbing his hands up and down her arms, reminding her how cold she was in her green and navy dress.

“Yeah,” she said, feeling more and more lightheaded. 

“I have to go find Honeymaren, we have an appointment for Oaken’s sauna later. Don’t want to be late.” He winked as though he hadn’t just shattered Anna’s heart. “Happy Christmas.” He kissed her forehead gently before disappearing into the crowd. 

She stood frozen, literally and figuratively, for a few more moments as she decided that this must be a nightmare after all.

* * *

Back at the pub, Ryder was perpetually seated at that table, waiting for his beloved Astrid. Iduna was mercifully gone. 

Mounting the stairs, Anna ran into Gerda once more.

“Well? Did you hit it off with Iduna?” she asked, lips pursed mischievously.

“No, I never want to see her again.”

“What? Why?” said Gerda, face falling.

“All she wants to do is gloat about how well off her parents are,” Anna sniffed, not in the mood to relive her nightmare date(s) once more.

“Anna,” said Gerda disapprovingly, “her parents are dead. She’s been an orphan since she was young, just like you.”

This stopped Anna in her tracks. “She… oh.”

“That’s why I set you two up, I thought you would be able to relate to her.”

“Oh,” said Anna, stomach dropping. “Great.”

As she closed herself into her small, dark room, Anna prayed that today was, in fact, a dream. That way she could wake up tomorrow on Christmas Day and all would be right in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Really hoping I finish before Christmas!!


End file.
